


New Favorites

by rainbowthefox



Category: The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Genre: Character Study, Contest Entry, Fireworks, Fourth of July, Gen, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Oogie is dead
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-01
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-13 11:06:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,265
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29775231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rainbowthefox/pseuds/rainbowthefox
Summary: Jack Skellington decides to let Lock, Shock, and Barrel in charge of the Fourth of July party in hopes to impress the Independence Day Leader. Things, of course, don’t go to plan.
Kudos: 4





	1. Getting the Materials

**Author's Note:**

> This was a contest entry + winner for a Lock Shock and Barrel fangroup's contest, Frightening Fourth of July, written back in 2018. I hope you enjoy!

Inside the dusty, barren walls of the Town Hall resonated a multitude of snickers. They were childish bubbles of laughter that concealed any purity a normal child would have had. The voices themselves sounded as if they came from every part of the room, and the accompanying echoes falsely impressed that they were present in the dry air. Every monster knew who these laughs belonged to - and they all held weary, bulbous eyes as they traveled along the room in search for the owners.   
  
There was a tense atmosphere on top of an already-uneasy Monday morning. The inhabitants of the Town Hall had their shoulders hunched up in alarm. They were mentally and physically preparing themselves for future disaster - that at any moment, Lock Shock and Barrel would strike, and they'd all succumb to victimization of their pranks yet again.  
  
The Pumpkin King stood in the middle of the room with a skeletal finger propped on the bottom of his lip. His skull followed the red, green, and purple colors around him intently. They were constantly moving, leaving little smears of their color in their absence. He let out a thoughtful hum as he watched the three drag a heavy bag across the room, all without any context to unfamiliar eyes.   
  
A shorter man shifted his weight uneasily beside the King. Unlike Jack's eye sockets, the Mayor's shallow eyes darted quickly about the room. He couldn't keep sight of one of them, and he felt horribly nervous as their snickering came from all sorts of directions. He felt a knot begin to form in the pit of his stomach. He started fiddling with his fingers as he let out a stressed groan.  
  
"I don't trust them," He stated firmly. The fear in his voice was apparent. "They're going to cause trouble. I just know it."   
  
The skeleton glanced down at him, mouth forming into a line as he processed his words. He glanced back at the children and found that they had ripped a hole in the bag, punching each other and arguing furtively. He began to scratch at his skull.   
  
"To be honest, Mayor...I don't, either."   
  
"Then why did you let them in here?" His words fumbled. "Touching all of this stuff and watching them run around!?"   
  
"They promised me they'd be careful. And they'll bring everything as soon as the party is over."   
  
"Since when have they _kept_ a promise to you, Jack!?"   
  
He went silent at this revelation. His next tone sounded very apprehensive, as if he hadn't pondered their disloyalty until this very second. His voice came out weakly. "-I suppose this will be their second chance, then?"  
  
The Mayor glanced back at them. They stuffed everything they had spilled sloppily back into the bag. He watched as they heaved it together into their bath tub. The thing was completely full to the brim with bags, contained with who-knows-what. Jack refused to tell him what they were gathering, but from what he knew, most of it was coming out of their Halloween supply. Something they desperately didn't want to lose.  
  
He tugged at his collar and sighed deeply. He seldom doubted Jack and his decisions, but letting Lock, Shock, and Barrel be in charge of this year's 4th of July party was just asking for the town to erupt into flames. As he went to tell him this, he was cut off by the skeleton's voice.  
  
"I want to thank you for letting them come in here, Mayor. I know how sensitive you are with the supplies and planning and whatnot." He lolled his skull to the side and shrugged. "I can't say that their party will _suffice_ , but surprise is just the first step to scaring. And you know how the saying goes."  
  
The Mayor held his breath as the skeleton gave him a warm smile. He felt his insecurities vanish, and whatever he had meant to say ago slipped his mind. His face switched with a _click_ , his grin flashing as he nodded his head.  
  
"Maybe you're right." He agreed. "A little trust in those three may not be so bad. Why, maybe they'll run the party without any of those pranks of theirs!"  
  


* * *

  
  
"You got all the dynamite?"   
  
Shock's hoarse voice sounded almost demanding as her cohorts came to her side. They were out of breath by this point, having ran into nearly every room in the Hall in just half an hour. The tub was filled with everything they needed for the party, and a few "extras" unknowingly tucked into the bags. The small witch tapped her boot on the wood impatiently as she waited for them to catch their breath.  
  
"Sure...do!" Barrel huffed.   
  
"Loads of 'em!" Lock added.  
  
"Show me, show me!" She pressed anxiously.   
  
Lock and Barrel exchanged smiles and went forward to open the top bag. They found a few sticks of dynamite dangerously poking out from the rest of the party supplies. Shock's grin grew to both of her cheeks as she clenched her gloves, and Barrel and Lock shared the same excitement she had. Dynamite was one of their favorite toys!   
  
The devil began to rub his hands together, the ideas already clouding his head. "So, the plan is-"  
  
 _"Fantastic work, you three!"_  
  
The trio jumped at the sound of Jack's voice. Lock closed the bag to hide the dynamite, but found that they were still poking out from the hole. Barrel and Shock spared him the stress as they used their bodies to conceal it. Lock followed suit and held his arms out. They all smiled uneasily as the skeleton approached them. They saw the Mayor trembling behind him as well and had to refrain some giggles.   
  
"You gathered quite a bit." The skeleton noted, unaware of what they were hiding. "Is there anything else you need?"  
  
"Nope!" Shock blurted out. "We're good!"   
  
"Yep! Got everything!" Lock added.  
  
"Well, we could use some more-" Barrel's mouth was smothered by a hand before he could finish. Jack passed them a look, but the stitched smile returned on his face.  
  
"Ah, I'm sure you'll figure it out." His tone went low as he narrowed his eye sockets. "Remember, you three, NO tricks! The Independence Day leader is coming for this party, and I expect everything will meet his satisfaction."  
  
"Come on, Jack, when would we ever lie to you?" Shock replied, fluttering her eyelashes. Her attempt at being coy failed miserably.   
  
"I can name a few times."   
  
"But we promise, _this_ time," Lock placed a hand to his chest meaningfully. "No tricks!"  
  
By instinct, they crossed their fingers behind their back. The notion should've went noticed by the skeleton at this point, but he was too busy changing his scrutinizing look to one that held admiration. Jack smiled at them and began dusting off his sleeves, somehow convinced that they'd hold their word. Ever so naïve.  
  
"I can at least say you three have been behaving better ever since Oogie...passed." He hesitated with that last word. "I believe this is the start of some great progress."  
  
They felt insulted at the insinuation that they were _behaving_ , but they all put on forced smiles and nodded their heads at him cheerfully. "Yup!" "Behaving better!" "Totally!"   
  
Their enthusiasm was almost nearly off-putting. He gave them one last look before walking away, and the Mayor scurried after him. The kids had to hold back their laughter as they watched his figure disappear. It was so easy tricking Jack! It's as if they were playing him like a fiddle. And it sure was fun, too! They just couldn't wait to see his face once their little "party" began.   
  
They couldn't wait to see the shock on _everyone's_ faces!  
  
The three glanced at each other, already knowing what was on the other one's mind. They hopped inside the bath tub and Barrel thwacked the back of it with a broom. The legs started moving, carrying them out from the Town Hall and down the back steps. They enclosed their faces with their masks and grinned at each other as the tub led them back to their home.

* * *

  
The trio approached their tree house several minutes after they left the Town Hall. It was completely deserted - the barren lands coated with layers of dust and their old, dead tree covered in cobwebs. The abyss below seemed so empty and cold as the tub stopped next to it. The children shivered as they jumped off and began to throw the bags in their elevator. Barrel would hop in and it unload them once it reached their house. This process was unusually time-consuming.   
  
"C'mon!" Lock huffed by slamming his foot on the ground. "I want to set the bombs already!"   
  
"You gotta' be patient, stupid!" Shock spat. "We have a few days to set up this party."   
  
"Yeah, but half of that time is going to be setting up stupid chairs." The devil crossed his arms and huffed. "I just wanna' have fun..."  
  
 _"What are you guys arguing about?"_ Barrel's voice sounded as he dropped down from the elevator.   
  
Shock threw a couple of bags in his face in return. This nearly tumbled him off the cage, and his legs dangled dangerously over the wire. He was faced with the darkness of the abyss for a few moments before he regained his senses. He grabbed at the rope and let out several gasps in surprise.  
  
"H-Hey!" He waved his hand. "Can you be a little more _careful_!?"  
  
"NO!" Shock screamed. There was a little bit of guilt settling in her stomach seeing her cohort nearly fall to his death, but she ignored it. "Just get those bags in there. We've got 1 more to go after this."  
  
"Sweet."   
  
His grin flashed as he pulled at the elevator. He rose inside the tree house and they listened to him ruffling the bags up there. The witch went forward to grab the last bag. She watched as Lock came to her side to assist her. She hadn't even realized she'd been struggling with its weight the moment she grabbed it. She felt his cold touch wrap around her hand.   
  
"Get your hand off of me!" She hollered, smacking it.   
  
"Ow!" He winced. "Hey, I'm just trying to help!"   
  
"I don't _need_ any help. I can handle this."   
  
As the small witch stepped forward to try and demonstrate this, she tripped over a pebble, knocking out whatever she had in the bag. She landed face-first on the ground and would've rolled off into the abyss hadn't she grabbed a board of the bridge in time. She watched as the contents of the bag fell beside her and down into the endless darkness around her.   
  
"L-LOCK!" She screeched, eyes bulging in fear. "COME AND HELP ME!"   
  
The devil rushed over, eyes momentarily filled with worry. He noticed her death grip on the board and crossed his arms, raising his eyebrow in suspicion.  
  
"I thought you didn't _need_ my help?"   
  
" **HELP ME UP, YOU DIMWIT!** "   
  
She started kicking her feet in the air. This made her lose grip of the board, and she gasped as she started to fall. But then she felt that cold grip again - and her heart leaped as she was pulled back up and onto the ground. She scrambled across the bridge until she was beside the tub and began to cling onto its side in fear. Her mouth went agape as she tried to say something, but started hyperventilating instead.  
  
"Oh, calm _down_." Lock rolled his eyes. "I got you back."   
  
"St-stupid!"   
  
She stood up shaking and started brushing the dirt off of her dress. They both heard the elevator finally come down. Barrel jumped out of it casually. He looked over at the tub and noticed that it was empty. That last bag was nowhere to be seen. He scratched at his green hair in bewilderment.  
  
"Uh, did you guys already get that last bag?"   
  
"Shock spilled it." Lock said flatly, pointing to the witch. "And she nearly killed herself, too!"  
  
"Did _NOT!_ " She objected.  
  
"Did _TO!_ "  
  
"I guess we'll have to plan the party without whatever was in there..." Barrel said weakly.   
  
Shock shot the devil a look as she stepped forward and entered the elevator. Barrel happily joined her side and they waited for Lock to come. He huffed before following after and stepping inside. Things felt awkward and tense as they rose to the tree house, but the moment they stepped inside and saw all of the bags awaiting them, the mischievous grins grew back on their faces as they hungrily rubbed their hands together.  
  
 _Time to start planning._


	2. Planning

After hours of careful observation and planning(and lots of arguing accompanied with fist fighting), the trio decided that the party should be held in the outskirts. They realized that it would be too difficult smuggling explosives back into town, and it would be bothersome having to apply them out in the open. They had a sneaking suspicion that someone would be appointed to watch them, and the last thing they needed was a snitch. It was also convenient since their tree house was only a few miles away and they could carry all of the explosives that they wanted.  
  
They came to the Mayor informing him of the change in plans. He was opposed to it, predictably, and they probably wouldn't have gotten away with it if Lock hadn't convinced him otherwise. He told him that it was because the Outskirts was spacious and that they felt it'd be too cramped back in town. The Mayor fell short on any contretemps and decided to just let them do whatever they wanted.   
  
Barrel brought up that they needed help setting up. His cohorts were about to beat him for this suggestion until the Mayor surprisingly agreed to the demand. He lent them a worker from town. They ended up with the Behemoth, a tall but husky man who usually worked in the pumpkin patch. He was dressed in overalls that barely covered his long chest hair and had beady eyes along with an axe implanted in his bald head.   
  
_"He's only there to help you with physical labor and nothing else!"_ The Mayor reminded them. _"If you play any pranks on him, he has full permission to leave!"_   
  
Alas, the trio couldn't pass up any opportunity of harassment. Shock was particularly fond of this idea while they were setting up for the party, as she wouldn't stop misdirecting the Behemoth and giving him false instructions. She was practically making him run around in circles. Lock and Barrel found it quite hilarious, giggling as they watched him struggle with a chair.   
  
"No, dummy! I want it over _there_! To your left! No, wait...MY left! Yeah, that's it!"   
  
As the Behemoth dropped a table to her peremptory demands, he suddenly stopped and hunched over. He placed his hands on his knees and panted heavily. The trio watched him with widened eyes and smiles. They've never seen a man sweat so much before! He wiped his forehead with his gloved hand and stared at the ground in defeat.  
  
"Behemoth...tired..." He muttered. He sat down. His weight shook the ground so much that the three felt their legs wobble. "Going to rest here."   
  
"You're so useless!" The witch remarked, kicking her boot in his direction. "We haven't taken a break! Why should you!?"  
  
"Ignore him, Shock!" Lock called from behind her. "We got everything set up! All we have to do now is place the bombs!"   
  
She completely forgot about the Behemoth and ran over to her cohorts. They were currently at one of the tables attaching a small bomb underneath the table. Barrel was the one placing it, as he was usually gifted with tools and building things. He was the one who decided a bomb would be better than dynamite and transferred everything to smaller devices. Lock was beside him grinning devilishly and Shock couldn't help but mimic him. As soon as it was placed on, the three cheered. All they had to do was activate it when the party began.   
  
"That's 4!" Barrel exclaimed.  
  
"You think that's enough?" Shock turned to Lock. "There's a lot of other tables here..."  
  
"I think this will do. So long as Jack and the Mayor sit here, we'll be hitting our targets."   
  
"-And then KABLOOM!" Barrel emphasized with his arms.   
  
The children giggled and copied this gesture, all making explosive noises with their mouths. They looked at each other then reeled, bursting into fits of laughter and holding their stomachs. The truth was, they didn't want to injure anyone at the party at all. They were planning only small explosions, enough that it would startle someone but not blow one of their limbs off. But they certainly wouldn't mind if the Mayor's head started spinning out of control or if Jack somehow lost his head. That would be hilarious!  
  
In the middle of their guffawing, Barrel suddenly stopped and looked behind them uneasily. He tapped their shoulders and started pointing at the Behemoth wearily. "Say, uh, do you think we should really be... _talking_ about this in front of him?" He asked.  
  
"Aw, c'mon!" Lock waved it off. "The guy's practically brain dead! He'll forget about it in an hour."   
  
They looked at him and noticed the drool pooling out from the Behemoth's mouth. He really _did_ look dead. They laughed again and got up, dusting their clothes off from the dirt. They decided to walk around and double check that everything was set, including the bombs. They made sure it was hidden from plain sight and that they were all in close proximity to activate.   
  
As Barrel went around checking them, he happened to notice something was amiss. He scratched at the side of his face as he stared at the tables and chairs. They all had balloons and decorations - added just so it wouldn't look boring - and they had the stage set and empty for the performances. He tried to picture the party happening, and gasped once he realized what was missing.   
  
"Guys!?" He got their attention by waving his hand in the air. "What are we going to do for the food?"   
  
"The _food_?" The two asked in unison. They glanced at each other and realized his point. They hadn't thought of that at all! What's a party without FOOD?   
  
"Wait a minute! We DID have food!" Lock pointed at Shock accusingly. "We had a whole bunch of snacks in that bag you lost!"   
  
"Th-that wasn't my fault!" She defended. "It fell out of my hands!"  
  
"You tripped. It's ALL your fault."  
  
Without any warning, the witch launched herself onto him. She began punching at his face, which he easily dodged and grabbed at her hair. She squeaked in pain and rolled over to punch his gut. Barrel watched from the side and bit his lip nervously. He didn't want to intervene, but this wasn't helping anything!   
  
"The boss would've made a great stew." He brought up quietly. "He would've made a biiiig bowl of it. This wide!" He extended his arms. The two stopped fighting and Shock passed him a look as if he were stupid.  
  
"Oogie's not _here_!" She spat.   
  
"I know..."   
  
The two stopped fighting and looked up. They went quiet at the mention of Oogie Boogie, and they slowly removed themselves off from each other. Lock kicked the dirt and shoved his hands in his pockets while Shock folded her hands together. The three of them stared at the ground, silently contemplating how to fix this issue.   
  
"Guys, guys, it's no problem." Lock assured them. "We'll just head into town and ask someone to make something for us! Easy."  
  
"I don't know...We played a lot of pranks on them. Who would help _us_?" Shock asked weakly.   
  
The devil frowned, pinching his blue lips together. He knotted his eyebrows before smiling again. "-We'll just say Jack sent us! They HAVE to give us something then, right?"  
  
"But what if they tell him?" Barrel fidgeted with his hands. "Then he'll know we dumped all the food they lent us...and we might get into trouble!"  
  
"There's no time for what-ifs, dummy! Let's just go and get this stupid thing done! I'm sure someone out there will be willing to help us."   
  


* * *

  
  
**"I SAID NO! NOW, GET LOST!"**  
  
The 25th door in the span of only 15 minutes slammed in front of the children harshly. They felt a gust of wind come from the force; Shock's hat flew around in the air before her small hand caught the end of it. They skipped down the steps with deflated postures, their usual smirks now replaced with troubled frowns.   
  
Their luck(if it had even _existed_ prior to this situation), suffered horribly. They went into Town with the intent of tricking some townspeople into lending them some food for the party. They figured acting like the other children in town - impotent and ethical - would land them a portion at a time. But their reputation as "miscreants" was known in ever corner of Halloween Town, and the moment they approached anyone, they were given the cold shoulder.  
  
As they kicked the pebbles who crossed their path, Barrel groaned. "This isn't fun. No one's given us anything so far."   
  
"Didn't you say this would be EASY?" Shock retorted to Lock. He scoffed and looked away from her.  
  
"It's not MY fault everyone's holding a grudge against us! Didn't Jack tell them to forgive people last Christmas? We'd have our tub FULL of food by now if they'd just listened to him!"   
  
"We shouldn't blame Jack for this." Shock took off her mask. "Maybe they're just thinking we're mooching off them...that one lady would've given us her bread if we hadn't asked for 30 pieces."   
  
"But we can't tell them it's for the party! They might blab to Jack."  
  
"And we can't trust anybody," Barrel added. "No one but Oogie."  
  
The three of them sighed and halted, deciding to rest on a nearby bench. They held their heads in their hands and stared at the floor, kicking the air every time they got upset with themselves. It was nearing sunset now, and the party was only tomorrow night. They shouldn't have told Jack they'd be able to do this in only a few ays. That egotistical attitude never worked for Boogie, so why did they assume it'd work for THEM?  
  
"Planning is hard." Shock admitted. "No wonder Jack and them do it all year - they have all the time in the world to fix whatever they'd screw up! We only have a day."  
  
"Wait! I know someone who can help us!" Barrel suddenly grinned from his seat. Lock and Shock glanced over at him with impatient looks; they'd been through enough tomfoolery this past hour. Barrel's stupid suggestions wouldn't help them, either.   
  
"Yeah? Who would be willing to give us a bunch of food and not tell somebody?" Lock snarled sarcastically.   
  
" _Sally._ "  
  


* * *

  
  
The last thing the trick-or-treaters wanted to do was to get involved with anyone relatively CLOSE to Jack(besides the Mayor, but he wasn't that important). And it was common knowledge not to mess with the Pumpkin King's girlfriend; especially not to get her involved in any of their shenanigans. But she was the only figure in Town who'd given them the benefit of the doubt before, but they hadn't exactly...paid her back. _Yet._  
  
They were scampering quickly to her seamstress shop, hoping to catch her before she'd leave for the Skellington Manor(which would ultimately kiss their chances goodbye). They happened to find the ragdoll just as she was locking the door. They came to her in short breaths.   
  
"Sally!" "Sally!" "Sally!"   
  
_"Oh!"_ She exclaimed. There were a few bags in her hands. She took a step back from them in fear they'd tamper with her belongings. They noticed this and waved it off, only slightly annoyed that she'd assume such a thing at his time.  
  
"We...need...your...help!" Barrel cried.   
  
"You do? What's wrong?"   
  
"It's for the Independence Day Party!" Shock waved her arms. "We...we messed up."   
  
"No, YOU messed up!" Lock nudged her with his finger. She went to retaliate but Sally stepped forward before they could.  
  
"What about the party? Has something happened?"   
  
"Well, funny you should say..." Shock could feel a slight blush growing on her green skin. "We...I mean, _I_ accidentally lost...something. Something we needed for the party. But we can't get it back and the party is only tomorrow!"   
  
Sally was looking at them attentively, though the confusion on her face was obvious. It was clear Shock was going nowhere with her confession so Lock stepped forward. It was difficult for him to admit anything they'd done wrong, but this was drastic. And he couldn't sugarcoat it; Sally would see right through that.   
  
"We lost all the food and snacks." He confessed. "And no one in Town is giving us anything. We were wondering if you could maybe, I don't know, get us something? _Make_ us something? We just really need the help."  
  
"Oh, dear. That wasn't good, you three. The Town Hall might've needed those snacks for something." She frowned and waved her finger at them disapprovingly. "But, this does show that you really care about this party...it was a very responsible thing to do to come here looking for help."  
  
"It was?" Barrel hunched his shoulders up. She leaned down and gave him a gentle kiss on his pale forehead, laughing softly.   
  
"Of course. I'll help you, but under one condition." The three of them stiffened. "I want you to put your best effort into this party. Jack's putting a lot of trust in you, and he'd like to impress the Independence Day leader at this party. He feels that you three can do that for him."  
  
Oddly, the trio's hearts warmed at this information. They had the impression for the longest time now that Jack didn't fancy them very well - probably because of all the trouble they caused him. They found themselves having a difficult time deciding whether or not to cross their fingers. They wanted to cause problems, yes, but they were also putting a lot effort into doing it.  
  
Begrudgingly, they crossed their fingers behind their backs and nodded. "Sure will!" "We promise!" "You can count on us!"   
  
"Good. I'll gather as much as I can and I'll deliver it on your doorstep tomorrow morning." Sally shuffled her bags and started walking away. She paused a few seconds after and turned back to them. "We trust you three."  
  
They found themselves smiling back at her. That was the thing they hated most about her - her smile was so contagious.  
  


* * *

  
  
They headed back to their tree house. The trip was long and quiet. They were starting to regret their plans for the party. If Sally was telling the truth(which she more than likely _was_ ), then Jack really DID like them! He trusted them with something important, and most of all, he thought their process would impress a Holiday Leader! Normally, they prided themselves on their own efforts and would get an occasional slap-on-the-back from Oogie, but hearing a genuine compliment was...not something they were used to.  
  
As they reached their home, Lock bowed his head. "You know, I kind of feel bad for lying to Sally..."  
  
"Yeah," Barrel agreed. "It's one thing to lie to Jack, but to her it just... _feels weird_."  
  
"So what?" Shock swallowed her guilt. "It'll be fun, and he should know that we don't keep promises! If anything, this should show them that we don't work for anybody!"  
  
"Still feels wrong." Lock crossed his arms. Barrel touched the spot on his forehead and looked up at the night sky dreamily.  
  
"Her lips are so soft..."   
  
The three headed to bed as soon as they went inside. They slept horribly, which wasn't out of the ordinary. In Barrel's morning rounds of collecting any candy that had fallen somewhere around the tree house, he found dozens of baskets full of treats, sweets, and appetizers placed just before their bridge. He fetched his cohorts, who found a small note attached to one of the baskets.  
  
Shock picked it up and read it. She grinned and showed it to Lock and Barrel, who smiled as they read the words.  
  
 _"The cupcakes are made by me._  
  
-Sally"


	3. The Party

Lock, Shock, and Barrel wasted no time finishing the rest of the preparations for the party. The food was the only thing that had been missing, so the rest of the process was a breeze. Seeing something on the tables besides wilted flowers and dead roses was greatly satisfying. Everything was completely set and ready to go, besides the guests and shows. Which they knew would be taken care of as soon as Jack got there.   
  
Barrel tinkered a bit with the bombs while Shock adjusted the tablecloths and Lock swept the stage. They managed to finish everything by afternoon, which was when they noticed a tall figure emerging from the hinterlands that led to their tree house. Lock was the one to alarm them - hastily getting Barrel out from under the tables and pulled Shock by his side.  
  
Jack approached them casually. He seemed satisfied with what he saw, judging by the smile he wore when he came to them. Then again, the man was always smiling. It sickened them, sometimes.   
  
He stopped in front of them to get a good look of their work. He passed by the tables and picked at some of the flowers, checking to see if they were real or fake(they were real, he found). He also checked the structure of the stage and found that it was stable, not purposely set to "accidentally" injure a performer. He also checked the food left out and came back to them, cheerfully grinning.   
  
"Fantastic job, guys! I'm impressed you had this all done by today." He complimented. He must've been expecting them to be taken aback or flattered by such words. They, of course, rejected such gratification.  
  
"Yeah, well, we only had 3 days to plan this stupid thing!" Lock dramatically waved his hand at him. "It'd have been better if you gave us more time, you know!"   
  
"Yeah!" Shock and Barrel agreed behind him.  
  
"Well, mediocre or not, you three surpassed by expectations!" He winked at them, giving Shock butterflies in her stomach. "I planned my own party before you three came along, but this is better than anything I had in mind! Mine would've been cramped somewhere in Town - you had the right idea to make it out here."  
  
They weren't sure how to repudiate his praise. They decided to be accept this one compliment, but remained humble about it. "Well, sure..." "I mean, I guess..." "If you say so, Jack..."   
  
"The Independence Day Leader is coming later this evening. I'll assemble everyone here around, say, 6:00?" He paused. They nodded in affirmation. "I'll be in the Town Hall if you need me. I look forward to tonight, fellas!"  
  
As the skeleton's frame disappeared into the forest, the three snickered. He had no idea what was coming to him - or the others! His obliviousness and naiveté was hilarious. They caved in to their laughter and, once again, were sent rolling on the ground in hysterics.  
  


* * *

  
  
The party came sooner than they expected. They were hanging around in the tree house before they heard some commotion come nearby. They peeked out their window and found a crowd gathering where the tables were. The three decided to make their debut and came down through their elevator. By the time they were there, monsters were already seated and making themselves comfortable. There was so much chitchat that hte three were having issues hearing each other.   
  
Lock, Shock, and Barrel removed themselves from the crowd to a more secluded part of the party. As Lock turned to update the situation, he found Barrel already with a cupcake in his hand. His other arm was filled with them, which he obviously stole from one of the tables. He shriveled his nose in disgust while Shock rolled her eyes.   
  
"What?" He asked, taking another bite. "Sally's a really good cook. I couldn't help myself!" He took one out from his arm and offered it to them. "Want one?"  
  
"Sure." "No!"  
  
Shock went ahead and grabbed it and took a bite. She let out an involuntary "mmm", beckoning Lock to take one and try it for himself. He, too, really liked it - it was a flavor he never tasted it before. As he quickly shoved the rest in his mouth, he wiped his hands on his shirt and cleared his throat.  
  
"Alright, so what's the situation?"  
  
"Well, everyone seems to be having a good time." Shock commented.  
  
"No, you dummy! When's Barrel gonna' set off the bombs?"  
  
"I thought I'd try it when Jack and the Mayor sit down at one of the tables." He finished his cupcake. "But I guess we can do it anytime to anyone, if you want."  
  
"No, no! It's perfect! It'll make more of a scene if either of them are hit." His devilish smile grew on his face.   
  
"What about the Independence Day leader?" She asked.  
  
"We shouldn't have to deal with him. He doesn't seem like a problem. Heh, Jack might be so distracted with him he may work to our advantage!" He chuckled and waved it off. "I wouldn't worry about it."   
  
They conversed a little more about their plans before splitting up into the crowds. They were trying to spot either Jack or the Mayor - preferably both. It was easy to navigate through, as they were so small no one could really spot them. They spent about an hour looking through the crowds before meeting in front of the stage, which was getting set up for the Clown's performance.  
  
 _"Any of you guys find them?"_ Lock whispered. He was met with a head shake and a nod.  
  
"I found the Mayor gorging himself at one of the tables! Not the right one, though." Shock sounded disappointed.   
  
"That's alright, he's bound to make his way to all the tables. They have different appetizers. He can't resist them!"   
  
The show suddenly began, judging by the music coming up and the lights dimming. The trio decided to separate again and continue looking for Jack. It was nearly impossible to miss the guy, he was the tallest in Town!(At least, now that Oogie's gone). It was easy this time around, as everyone was so invested in the show that they could just walk in front of them without being noticed. Lock eventually became frustrated looking for the skeleton and gave up halfway through. Shock stopped to sit at one of the tables, and Barrel was messing around with one of the food bowls.   
  
He found Shock and went up to her, giddily jumping around. He was clearly excited about something. "Shock! Shock!"  
  
"What is it?" She asked.  
  
"I stuffed a small stick of dynamite in one of Sally's cupcakes!" He held it up proudly. "That way, in case Jack DOESN'T sit at one of the tables, we can still get him covered in cupcake guts!"   
  
She smiled. "Wow, I'm actually kinda' impressed, Barrel."  
  
He flushed and hid the cupcake behind his back. "That is, if we can find him..."  
  
In the corner of her eye, Shock saw something white. She turned around in her seat and pointed in its direction. Barrel followed it and gawked at what came into sight. Shock was also marveling, and as Lock approached them both, looked at what they were gazing at and nearly choked on air.   
  
Jack Skellington came, but he was walking with what they could assume was the Independence Day leader. Even though the Pumpkin King was taller than him, the guy still came to Jack's shoulders. He was very broad and even under his colorful suit could they see his muscles protruding. He was wearing a top hat with red-and-white stripes accompanied with a blue cloth decorated with white stars. He wore a blue vest, red bow tie, white vest, and pants nearly identical to his top hat. Everything about him was colored red, white, and blue - even his snowy hair and beard.   
  
"That guy looks like he can wallop us into two!" Barrel squealed. Lock hushed him down.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, but he's not who we're after..."  
  
The three quietly left the table and went to creep on Jack and the stranger. They followed closely behind, making sure they weren't in sight. They decided to eavesdrop on their conversation, merely out of curiosity for another Holiday Leader. They didn't know much about them besides Jack and a little of Santa Claus.   
  
"I hope you don't mind, but I brought a few fellas from my world." The leader said, motioning somewhere in the crowd. "They were just so darn excited about a party that they followed me all the way over here!"   
  
"It's quite alright. We have a lot of space here, obviously." Jack replied. "You think I can come to the party next year, Sam?"  
  
"Of course! And bring that lovely lady with you, too. I like Sally. She has red hair and blue skin! All she's missing is a little white, if you know what I mean?"  
  
They saw Jack stiffen. "Y-Yes, eventually...I'm, um, sure she's around here somewhere, though."  
  
His name was _Sam_? That was a pretty lame name for a leader, they thought. They kept following the two but got bored and stopped. They looked around the party for Sally. They found her seated at the table where the Mayor was at, which happened to be one with a bomb. The three felt their hearts leap out of their chests as they approached her. All they had to do was get Jack there, which would be easy if they played their cards right.  
  
"Sally!" They called. She turned to them and smiled, clasping her hands together.  
  
"Hello!" She waved. "I was wondering when you three would show. I haven't seen you these past couple of hours."   
  
"Good thing, too! I'm loving these appetizers." The Mayor patted his stomach beside her. "You three did a HORRIBLE job with the food!   
  
"Yeah, yeah. Say, um, have you guys seen Jack?" Shock played dumb. "I haven't seen him anywhere. We'd like to ask him something."   
  
"Oh. Well, I haven't seen him myself..."   
  
"Afraid not." The Mayor burped. His face switched. "Oh! I apologize, Sally..."  
  
As the two nervously chuckled, Lock rolled his eyes and impatiently pointed to the area Jack was in. "Oh, I think I see him right there!" He called exaggeratedly. "Why don't you get his attention?"  
  
Sally sat up in her seat and waved over. The trio grinned. "Jack! Jack, dearest!" She called.  
  
This got his attention, despite all the noise and chatter around him. He turned on his heel and told Sam to follow. The trick-or-treaters nervously watched them come. They hadn't planned for the leader to be there, too, but it looks like they had no choice...Even Lock gulped as the two approached the table.  
  
"Sally! I've been looking for you." The skeleton came over and kissed her forehead. He turned to the man beside her. "Apologies for not coming with you, Mr. Mayor, I wanted to make sure Uncle Sam here didn't get lost..."   
  
"It's alright. I think I've had enough fun on my own." He groaned, loosening his belt. The trio decided to make their move now before things got more awkward. Barrel went on his tiptoes and offered him the cupcake, set neatly in his hand.  
  
"Hey, Jack! Want a cupcake?" He offered. The skeleton looked at it twice before shaking his skull.  
  
"I'm not hungry, Barrel. Thank you, though."  
  
The three were about to shift into their "Plan B" mode before Sally took the cupcake from him and held it near Jack's skull. "Oh, _I_ made them, dearest! You should try them. They're blended with blueberry and strawberries."  
  
This intrigued Jack, but as he went to grab it, the cupcake was hastily taken by Sam. They found him hungrily licking his lips "-Blueberry and strawberries? Why, Sally, that's my favorite KIND of cupcake! I hope you don't mind if I take a bite, Jack!"   
  
"Wait, no-" The trio protested.  
  
 ***KABOOM!***  
  
The deafening sound of the small explosion, accompanied by a loud POP of the cupcake exploding, silenced the whole party. Everyone was surprised as the once-intact treat was now a mess on Uncle Sam's face. It also found its way onto his once-spotless suit. He blinked once or twice through the mess. As everyone gawked at what had happened, Jack Skellington turned to Barrel sharply.  
  
"What did you put in that cupcake!?" He asked.  
  
Barrel gulped. This isn't how they imagined this going at ALL..."Nothing! I swear!"   
  
He gave him a look that showed he clearly didn't believe him. Barrel looked for help from his cohorts, but they were unsure of what to do, either. Out of fear, the shortest of them decided to tell the truth. "Well, maybe a little explosive..?"  
  
"You _what_!?"   
  
The three flinched to prepare themselves for the earful they'd be receiving, but Jack was cut off by a roar of laughter that came behind him. He turned and found Sam laughing the hardest anyone had ever witnessed. He placed a hand on the skeleton's shoulder to calm himself down, all before slapping his own knee. He wiped the remnants off his face using a napkin as well as the tear that had escaped his eye.  
  
"Haha! That was the best thing I've ever experienced!" He threw his arms in the air. "Kris told me to be weary of surprises, but I LOVE surprises!"  
  
"This wasn't planned at all." Jack leaned towards him apologetically. "I'm very sorry, Sam, Lock, Shock, and Barrel here didn't mean to-"   
  
"You three did this!?" The leader turned to them, his grin stretching from ear to ear. "You put an explosive in HERE?" He pointed to the cupcake's wrapper. They nodded weakly, wincing slightly. "Are you kidding? That's amazing!"  
  
"...Amazing?" They repeated.  
  
"No, no, it's more than amazing. It's _incredible_!" He stepped towards them. "I LOVE explosions! They're so fun! Tell me, how did you slip one into here?"   
  
The three were confused, as with the rest of Halloween Town and anyone else attending the party. They glanced at each other uncertainly before pushing Barrel forward, who played with his hands as he approached the man. He still looked very menacing, as no one had see such a strong figure get so excited.   
  
Weakly, he explained. "With...a little explosive, sir. I...I timed it, so it would go off."  
  
"You have my compliments, son. You certainly know your away around pyrotechnics." He tipped his hat. Jack stepped behind them and blinked once or twice.  
  
"So, you aren't upset?" He asked. Sam gave him an incredulous look and shook his head.  
  
"'Course not! In my world, that's how we CELEBRATE my holiday! We have these things called 'fireworks' - they're the national sensation, you know! Here, actually, I have some I brought with me..."  
  
Without any warning, Sam grabbed a few fireworks from inside his vest and showed them. Everyone was fascinated, as the colors of the tubes were as vibrant as his clothes. He looked around for a space and ran to the stage, where he began to set up the fireworks. Everyone watched quietly, and Lock, Shock, and Barrel, who would've bailed at this point, stayed to watch him.   
  
Sam lit one off and everyone watched as it was sent into the sky. Then came a loud **BOOM**! It was followed by all sorts of colors that seemed to shoot out from the sky. Green, blue, pink, orange...they lit up the gray hinterlands with everything on the spectrum. Everyone was left with their jaws hanging open as Sam turned to the crowd expectantly. Then they began to talk, their minds filled with all sorts of questions.  
  
"That was loud!" Shock exclaimed.  
  
"But colorful!" Lock added.  
  
"-And really cool!" Barrel finished.  
  
Sam went over to them with a prideful smile. "Did you like it?"   
  
"Yeah! It was loud, and it went KABLOOM!" Barrel jumped around, hitting his fist. "That was so cool!"  
  
"Can you do it again?" Lock asked. "This time, closer to the ground!"  
  
"Or in front of everybody!" Shock suggested.  
  
"Or you could hang onto it so you're colorful, too!" Barrel grinned.  
  
Sam looked over at Jack, who whispered something to him. The skeleton was just as excited as them, but was withdrawing his compulsive urges. Sally came to his side as Sam approached the trick-or-treaters. They became very invested with this man - he really knew how to have fun! And they'd never seen something so advanced and beautiful before...especially at the same time.   
  
"So, you three like playing with explosives, huh?"  
  
"Yep!" They agreed.  
  
"And you play with them a lot, I hear. Around _people_."  
  
"Sure do!" They nodded their heads.  
  
"Let me tell you something, kids." He leaned down and placed his arm around them. He smelt like fire. "Now, I don't know how it works around _here_...it probably isn't much of an issue, but if you're not careful with explosives, you can seriously hurt somebody."  
  
"That's what makes it fun!" They said. He sighed, but chuckled softly.  
  
"Don't get me wrong, I love explosions as much as YOU - but it isn't all just fun and games. These fireworks are much more powerful than that little thing you put in my cupcake. And if I was senseless lighting them up back there, I could've set the whole place on fire!" He looked around and pointed at their tree house. "Especially that tree over there!"  
  
"But that's our home!" Lock exclaimed.  
  
" _Exactly!_ And if you happen to accidentally blow something up in _there_ , then you can kiss that tree and whatever is in it goodbye." He looked at them seriously. "Are you understanding my point here?"  
  
"...Yes..." The agreed solemnly.   
  
"Well, I'll let you know ALL about fire safety! And after that, I'll give you a little surprise..."  
  
He sat at the table and began his lecture. And despite how much they _hated_ being told what to do, Lock, Shock, and Barrel sat and listened to every word he said. They were interested in the things he was saying, and he kept their attention by describing things and talking so...strongly about it. He also told them a little more about the customs back at his home, how they celebrate it and whatnot.  
  
It was starting to become their favorite holiday besides Bug Day.   
  
"-And THAT'S why he lost his pinky!" Sam ended his story. "Now, as for those surprises...here."  
  
He handed them small sticks. They took them and he went forward to light them with a lighter. Without warning, the ends began to sparkle as soon as they were ignited. The three jumped back and found they left a trail in the air - a very shiny, beautiful trail...  
  
"Sparklers!" He exclaimed. "You can play with them until they burn out."  
  
"This is really fun!" Shock said, making little swirls in the air. Barrel and Lock copied her and giggled. They started to run around with them, making different forms in the air. They even tried to replicate bugs and candy. This went on until the stick was gone, and the three let out disappointed "aww"s.  
  
"It's alright. Tell you what, I'll have a special party next year where you're invited." Sam pointed to them. They clutched their chests and grinned.  
  
"Us!?"  
  
"Yes! I'll throw a huge barbecue. Everyone will be invited!" He yelled and threw his hands in the air. An applause and cheers ensued. "There will be fireworks, sparklers, and all sorts of surprises! You three like surprises, don't you?"  
  
"Yes, we do!" Lock, Shock, and Barrel agreed.   
  
"Let's enjoy the party we have _here_!" The Mayor hollered from the table. The barbecue must've thrown him off. "I think I'm going to bust a button..." He muttered.  
  
The crowd erupted in laughter, and the party continued on. It was at its prime, judging by the excitement the fireworks left on everyone. Despite dancing along and actually sitting down to chat at the tables, the trio still felt a guilty for their plans. They eventually revealed it to Jack after some time. They expected him to be enraged and punish them on the spot, but he wasn't worked up about it at all.   
  
"You three know why that's wrong to do, right?" He asked, clipping one off a table.   
  
"We do, now." They bowed their heads. Jack looked at them and grinned, reaching forward to ruffle Barrel's hair.  
  
"Then go have fun." He said.   
  
They grinned again, leaving their King to go and party. Instead of staying in the shadows like they had done before, the three were having fun out in the open and accompanied Sam. They were practically pestering him about questions, about his Holiday, fireworks and all, but he didn't seem to mind. No one really did - some townspeople even invited them at their tables! They were also complimented for the party and their efforts. Some even suggested they should host another one sometime soon. They realized that responsibility wasn't so bad after all.  
  
It was official: the 4th of July was _almost_ as fun as Halloween....and Bug Day.


End file.
